[Mk2] [Turbo] Starter clicking

[Ryan S]

Soooooo....Got a bit of a gremlin somewhere. Regardless if the ignition is on or not my starter will occasionally click, It can only be stopped by removing the starter relay or disconnecting the battery. While this happens the indicator/hazard lights come on (not flashing) permanently. They do go off with the ignition and operate as normal when the starter isn't doing this. Any ideas where to even start in this one?

[Ryan S]

It never clicks long enough to start the car. Just random (and oddly in time) it'll do a quick click, it had done it in a very patterned manner today like every 3 seconds or so for about 20 seconds.

[PW@Woodsport]

If i had to throw in my best guess, it sounds like you have an aftermarket immobiliser fitted, or maybe an old one, that is clipped into the starter circuit and is now shorting out internally, it's all i can think of that links indicator flashes to starter relay activation.

Shouldn't be too hard to narrow down.

[Ryan S]

Oddly enough the car did have a toad alarm that we ripped out. There is still a lot of wires kicking about for it. I'm gonna have to tear all the interior out tomorrow

[PW@Woodsport]

Hopefully that is where the issue lies, the starter relay energiser wire (red) is picking up power from somewhere that it shouldn't be, and the flashing indicators in time with the relay really only point towards an alarm/immobilizer wiring fault.

[Ryan S]

The lights just stay on Paul. Rather than flashing in time, I may have worded that badly. Basically when that clickyness with the starter happens, The hazards come on and stay on but only if the ignition is on while the clickyness happens. Also, The hazards aren't working (this happened before putting the car off the road 4 years ago). I've replaced the switch but still no hazards. Indicators work as normal. Hazard fuse is fine too.

[PW@Woodsport]

Ah right, well i think your first port of call is the old alarm/immobilizer wiring and go from there, something is jumping across both circuits.

[Ryan S]

Ah right, well i think your first port of call is the old alarm/immobilizer wiring and go from there, something is jumping across both circuits.

Cheers Paul, I'll get in about the loom tomorrow and see what's what. It is very random and it NEVER happens when I'm not at the car. It deffo seems like jigging about in the car is what causes it.

[shinny]

Yup, you'll want to take a good look at the ripped out wiring.

Assuming it was an Ai606 Toad (4 button remote) the remote start is on the blue and black wire and, given you're not turning the key, that may well have something to do with it. That blue/black would be connected to the red starter wire by the ignition barrel, as you Paul says.

It seems unlikely a short would manage to trigger both hazards simultaneously though... that bit is weird. Sounds like a general wiring tidy-up is needed.

[Ryan S]

I can't remember the model but it just had one button, No remote start either thankfully. The funny thing is too, When arming and disarming it before taking it out, It only ever flashed one side of the hazards. It used to drive me crazy!